Chapter 2

Talia hid the pregnancy test results and stepped into the living room, where Margaret and Christian's conversation fell silent. Unlike what she usually did, Talia didn't even greet anyone.

In the past, she had always naively thought that if she served her in-laws well and became an understanding, considerate wife, there would come a day when Christian would finally notice her. But reality had slapped her hard in the face.

Even if she carved out her heart and presented it to the Lane family, they might not even spare it a glance. She realized that it was time to take back these five years of one-sided devotion.

Christian knew why he'd come home that day, so he glanced at Jane and instructed, "Jane, escort Ms. Margaret out."

From beginning to end, Talia stood silently to the side, but her eyes seemed to have gained a new layer of coldness.

Christian managed the Lane family business and ran the company exceptionally well. His character was excellent, too. He was respectful to his elders, loyal to his friends, fair with his subordinates, and generous with his employees.

Everyone who met him offered unanimous praise. Many friends remarked that Talia must have done something incredible in a past life to marry Christian.

But Talia was the one person who never received Christian's kindness. After five years of marriage, she was clear about their marriage. This hollow shell of a marriage was something Talia no longer wanted.

As Margaret passed by Talia, she suddenly stopped. She said with reproach in her voice, "If you still can't conceive a male heir, I don't know how you'll be able to face the Lane family."

In the past, Talia would have swallowed the insult quietly. But now, she saw no reason to keep taking it.

Looking at Margaret, Talia's eyes no longer held a trace of flattery or submission. She sharply retorted, "Margaret, we're both women. Is conceiving a boy or a girl solely my responsibility?"

Margaret remembered Talia as someone who never fought back. She had grown used to her compliant daughter-in-law, so Talia's sudden defiant attitude caught her off guard.

But Margaret wasn't about to indulge her either. She raised her hand and slapped her across the face. "How dare you speak to me like that! Kneel and apologize to me."

She looked furious, ready to tear someone apart. She was also utterly confident that Talia would be intimidated by her presence.

Margaret knew precisely how much Talia loved Christian. So she was certain that Talia could give up her dignity and pride, and was even willing to be treated as a maid by the Lane family for his sake.

But now, Talia no longer wanted to compromise. Since none of them valued her sacrifices or her life, she was no longer willing to please anyone.

Talia's eyes darkened as she looked at Margaret. She stepped forward wordlessly to strike back. But before her hand could land on Margaret's face, it was caught mid-air by a large hand.

At the same time, a low, reproachful roar rang in her ears. "Talia, haven't you caused enough trouble?"

Talia looked up to see Christian's handsome face. His cold, piercing eyes fell on her.

This face used to drive Talia crazy, but looking at it closely now, she felt a trace of disgust. She couldn't fathom how a person could be so cruel.

She could accept the lack of love, the cheating, the emotional abuse, but she couldn't understand how he could be so heartless as to treat her like a baby machine.

Moreover, he demanded that she give him a second child despite the amniotic fluid embolism she had suffered during her first pregnancy. Wasn't he simply asking for her life?

Thinking about all this, Talia couldn't help but feel nauseous.

Just as she was about to say something, Christian suddenly threw her hand away forcefully and said in a deep voice, "I'm not in the mood today. We'll discuss trying for a second child next month."

After saying that, he helped Margaret up and walked toward the door. Margaret turned back, her expression triumphant, as if to say, "The son I gave birth to naturally takes my side. You're just an outsider. Don't you know your place?"

If it had been before, Talia would have been sad and cried over Christian not protecting her, but now, she seemed to have gotten used to it. She didn't feel even a trace of disappointment.

Just as Christian was about to leave the living room, Talia quickly called out to him, "Christian."

Talia was someone who kept her word. Since she had decided to divorce, she would definitely follow through with it.

Just as when she had fallen in love with Christian, she was willing to dive headfirst into that mess despite her family's opposition. After loving Christian for eight years, she was exhausted.

He was blind to her efforts and had never thought about building a proper marriage with her. His willingness to marry her was only because she had gotten pregnant before marriage, and he felt responsible.

Their marriage was a tomb, but it only trapped Talia. She should have woken up from it long ago.

Christian stopped at the door. Talia thought that he had heard her, so after letting out a breath, she said, "I don't want to be with you anymore. Let's get divorced."

Once those words left her mouth, Talia felt an unprecedented sense of relief. But at that moment, Christian suddenly put his phone to his ear.

She couldn't hear what the person on the other end said, but she heard his anxious voice respond, "Okay. I'll be right there."

After hanging up, Christian left with Margaret and headed toward the exit of Elmwood Estate. The words she had just spoken, thinking they would set her free, weren't taken to heart by anyone.

It wasn't until Christian's figure completely disappeared from the doorway that Talia finally let out a bitter laugh.

Jane returned after seeing the guests out and saw Talia still standing in the living room, looking lost. She called out in surprise, "Mrs. Lane?"

Talia snapped back to reality, walked over to sit on the couch, and instructed Jane, "Jane, please prepare dinner for me."

In the past, she had done everything herself, hoping to win Christian's affection. Even though they only saw each other a few times a year, she was never tired of it. But in reality, Christian had never paid any attention to her efforts.

Now she was tired, and she remembered that she had once been someone who never lifted a finger, cherished and loved by her parents and brother.

After dinner, Talia went upstairs to the study to prepare a divorce agreement. The Stewart family wasn't from a small household, and Talia was a soon-to-be pediatric surgeon. She wasn't short of money and could provide Yvonne with a good future.

But these five years of not fighting or making a fuss had earned her nothing but her husband's coldness and ruthlessness. So she wrote clearly in the divorce agreement that Christian would have to give her half of his post-marriage income and pay an additional 200 thousand dollars in monthly child support for Yvonne.

But as she thought of Yvonne, Talia didn't know who she would want to stay with. Halfway through the divorce agreement, she thought she should ask for Yvonne's wishes, so she left Elmwood Estate with the unfinished document.

After Yvonne was born, Christian bought her a villa. Talia had been a full-time mother for four years before she returned to work at a hospital.

With her job changes, Talia's time with Yvonne had gradually decreased. Just in the past six months, she had been doing a fellowship at a hospital in a neighboring state.

These two recent meetings with Christian were because her lovesick brain had acted up, thinking she could use a second child to tie down her absent husband's heart.

Despite having no time, she had forcibly switched shifts with colleagues, working three consecutive overnight shifts to get a day or two free.

Yet she had never considered that having a second child was not something she could accomplish on her own. If she didn't have time, Christian could have come to see her. It was just that most of his time was given to Nancy.

She took a cab to Jubilee Manor. It was just past 9:00 pm. As soon as she got out of the car, her phone buzzed with a notification.

"Naners" had posted a new story.